It was just a couple of weeks ago a friend told me his son had run across a school of redfish and he could actually bump the fish with his boat paddle and they would move just enough to avoid the paddle and then stop again. With warmer weather finally arriving in March the Redfish are coming out of their winter slumber and are ready to eat just about anything that crosses their path.
Some friends of mine went out last week and had a great time catching and releasing several nice redfish. The water is still clear and if you are not stealthy, the fish will see you coming and scatter, but if you can be patient and take your time you can have some real fun seeing and casting to some really hungry, aggressive fish. For those that are just beginning to fish, live bait is very effective and now available in most of the tackle shops. Live mudminnows or shrimp are very effective this time of year and all of the little bait stealers have not become active yet.
If you prefer fishing with artificial baits, soft plastic scented baits are also very effective this time of year. If you are sight casting fish you want to make sure you do not cast right into the middle of the school, but determine which was the fish are moving and lead them with your cast. If you are fishing an area blind and looking for fish you may want to try a popping cork combined with live or artificial bait. The cork will create attention with its popping sound and will also allow you to cover more water casting and retrieving until you locate fish. Don’t let the nice days in March get by without getting out and taking advantage of some large schools of very hungry fish. These days can be some of the best fishing you can ask for.
Andy Pickett
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